Sebastián Coates, right, celebrates with Fabio Borini after scoring one of his two goals for Liverpool. Photograph: Henry Browne/Action Images

The Liverpool defender Sebastián Coates is set to rejoin former club Nacional on loan as he battles to be fit for this summer's World Cup.

The 23-year-old has been sidelined since tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in a knee while on international duty for Uruguay in August. Coates is still continuing his rehabilitation and is already in Montevideo awaiting completion of the move.

Liverpool are prepared to allow the centre-back to continue his rehabilitation in his homeland with a view to him regaining fitness and being able to get some match practice before Brazil.

"It would be beautiful to join Nacional and complete my recovery in Uruguay with my family and friends," the centre-back told Radio El Espectador 810. "The negotiations can be hard sometimes and we have to wait a bit."